Is Good Old Boat Magazine Sinking?

Good Old Boat (GOB) was a niche magazine dedicated to hands-on sailboat owners. It was founded and edited by Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas in 1997 and published reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays. The magazine was an early adopter of a virtual organization business model, with no central office or headquarters. Instead, employees and freelancers worked remotely from various locations. GOB was unique in that it was not advertising-driven, with revenue primarily driven through subscriptions and newsstand sales.

In January 2018, ownership changed hands to former employees Karla Sandness, Michael Robertson, and Nancy Koucky, with Sandness becoming the sole owner. However, in 2024, Good Old Boat announced its last issue, citing skyrocketing operating costs as the reason for its closure. The final issue was published in March/April 2024.

Following its closure, Sailrite acquired Good Old Boat, keeping the website up and running, and offering all resources for free. Sailrite also plans to add more content, including sail data and boat specs.

Good Old Boat's final issue

Good Old Boat magazine's final issue is out, and it marks the end of an era for this niche publication. The March/April 2024 issue, which was also its last, was published in a digital format only. This beloved sailing magazine, catering to hands-on sailboat owners, has succumbed to the challenges of rising operating costs, particularly for paper, printing, and shipping. Despite its strong niche market, the publication has struggled to remain viable, even exploring alternative publishing options and business models.

A History of Good Old Boat

Good Old Boat (GOB) was founded and edited by Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas in 1997, with the first issue published in June 1998. In January 2018, ownership changed hands to former employees Karla Sandness, Michael Robertson, and Nancy Koucky, with Sandness becoming the sole owner. The magazine was unique in its approach, differing from advertising-driven publications by primarily relying on subscriptions and newsstand sales, with a limited amount of advertising.

Good Old Boat was known for its reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays. It focused on providing valuable content for its readers, with useful articles, projects, personal stories, and pertinent boat or product reviews. The magazine also stood out for its journalistic design decision to omit article titles from its cover art, setting it apart from many other publications.

The Impact of Good Old Boat

Good Old Boat inspired a generation of sailors, encouraging people to refurbish old boats that would otherwise have ended up in scrapyards. It catered to a wide range of boat enthusiasts, from those with small, simple boats to owners of larger vessels. The magazine also provided a platform for freelancers and regular contributors to share their expertise and experiences.

A Classy Farewell

In its final act, Good Old Boat demonstrated its commitment to its readers by providing subscribers with a digital archive of every issue since its inception in 1998. This extensive collection, totaling 4GB in size, is a valuable resource for sailing enthusiasts.

A New Chapter

Although the original Good Old Boat magazine is no more, there is some good news. Sailrite, a sewing company and long-standing member of the boating community, has acquired the rights to the Good Old Boat website and its intellectual property. They plan to keep the website running and accessible to all, with the intention of adding more content, including sail data and boat specifications. While it won't be the same, Sailrite's efforts ensure that the spirit of Good Old Boat lives on.

The magazine's niche market

Good Old Boat (GOB) is a niche magazine dedicated to hands-on sailboat owners. It publishes reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays. The magazine is unique in that it does not rely on advertising for revenue, instead prioritising subscriptions and newsstand sales.

GOB was founded and edited by Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas in 1997, and was later sold to former employees Karla Sandness, Michael Robertson and Nancy Koucky in 2018. Sandness became the sole owner, and it was her difficult decision to shut down the magazine in 2024.

The magazine was a refreshing contrast to ad-driven lifestyle magazines that focus on selling new boats, timeshares, and electronics. GOB was an enabler for a whole generation to find an old boat, fix it up, and get out sailing and cruising. It inspired people to buy simple, small, and wholesome boats that would otherwise have ended up on the scrap heap.

The niche market was also reflected in the magazine's business model, which was an early adopter of a virtual organisation structure. There was no central office or headquarters, with employees and freelancers working remotely around the US and the world.

Despite the strong niche market, the magazine could not escape the challenges of the modern media landscape. Skyrocketing operating costs, including paper, printing, and shipping, became too much to bear. Even a transition to digital-only publication was not a viable option, as it would only be a temporary fix and would require a substantial price increase.

The closure of Good Old Boat Magazine highlights the difficulties faced by niche publications in an era of free and cheap online content.

The rise of digital content

The sailing magazine Good Old Boat (GOB) is shutting down, with its final issue published in March 2024. This news has saddened many of its readers, who have described it as a "great resource" and a "wealth of information for DIY boat projects". GOB was unique in its focus on hands-on sailboat owners, publishing reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays.

The decision to close the magazine was made by its publisher and owner, Karla Sandness, due to skyrocketing operating costs, including paper, printing, and shipping. Even a transition to a digital-only publication was considered, but it would only be a temporary fix and would require a substantial price increase for subscribers.

However, it's important to note that GOB's closure is not solely due to the rise of digital content. The magazine's niche focus on older boats may have also contributed to its struggle to expand its subscriber base. Additionally, some readers have mentioned that the content became repetitive over the years, leading them to cancel their subscriptions.

Despite its closure, GOB's legacy will live on. The magazine's final act was to send subscribers a 4GB zip file containing every single issue since its beginning in June 1998. This extensive archive is a treasure trove for sailing enthusiasts, with one reader commenting that "the boat reviews alone are gold".

Furthermore, there is a silver lining to this story. Sailrite, a company known for its video content production, has acquired GOB and plans to keep the website running, adding new content such as sail data and boat specs. While the future of sailing magazines may be uncertain in the face of the rising popularity of digital content, GOB's dedication to its readers and the sailing community will continue to make waves.

The magazine's business model

Good Old Boat (GOB) is a niche magazine for hands-on sailboat owners, featuring reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays. It was founded in 1997 by Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas, who also acted as editors.

The magazine differs from advertising-driven publications in that it generates revenue primarily through subscriptions and newsstand sales, although it does accept a limited amount of advertising. It was also an early adopter of a virtual organisation business model, with no central office or headquarters, and with employees and freelancers working remotely around the US and the world.

In January 2018, ownership changed hands to former employees Karla Sandness, Michael Robertson, and Nancy Koucky. Sandness later became the sole owner and publisher.

In January 2024, it was announced that Good Old Boat would cease publication due to skyrocketing operating costs, including paper, printing, and shipping. The final issue was published in March/April 2024.

In May 2024, it was announced that Sailrite had acquired Good Old Boat and would keep the website up and running, with plans to add new content.

Good Old Boat's business model relied primarily on revenue from subscriptions and newsstand sales, rather than advertising. This model worked well for the magazine for many years, allowing it to build a dedicated subscriber base attracted to its unique content.

However, in recent years, the magazine industry as a whole has faced challenges, with rising costs and competition from free online content making it difficult for traditional print publications to remain profitable.

Good Old Boat, in particular, may have struggled to expand its subscriber base beyond owners of older sailboats, as newer boats from the 1990s and early 2000s may not have been seen as fitting the "good old boat" category. Additionally, the relatively high cost of a subscription ($48 for six issues) may have been a tough sell to potential subscribers.

The magazine also had a unique approach to its publication and organisation, with a virtual business model that eliminated the need for a central office. This may have helped to keep costs down, but it is unclear if this was a significant enough factor to offset other financial challenges.

Ultimately, Good Old Boat's business model, while successful for a time, could not withstand the pressures facing the magazine industry, and the publication was forced to cease operations.

However, the acquisition by Sailrite may signal a new direction for the magazine, with the potential for a digital-only revival that could reach a wider audience and provide a more sustainable business model.

Good Old Boat's legacy

Good Old Boat (GOB) magazine, which was in publication from 1998 to 2024, has left a lasting legacy in the sailing community. The magazine was founded and edited by Karen Larson and Jerry Powlas in 1997, with the first issue being published in June 1998. It was later sold to former employees Karla Sandness, Michael Robertson, and Nancy Koucky in 2018, with Sandness becoming the sole owner.

GOB was a niche magazine dedicated to hands-on sailboat owners, publishing reviews, stories from sailors, technical articles about equipment installations and repairs, and essays. It was well-loved by its readers, who appreciated its lack of advertising, useful content, and beautiful photography. The magazine was also known for its journalistic integrity, choosing to omit article titles from its cover art.

In March 2024, GOB published its final issue, with Sandness citing skyrocketing operating costs as the reason for the magazine's closure. The news of the magazine's end was met with sadness by its readers, who praised its content, contributors, and the community it helped build. One reader even credited the magazine with inspiring a whole generation to fix up old boats and get out sailing.

Following its closure, GOB offered subscribers a free archive of all its past issues, demonstrating its commitment to its readers and the sailing community. Additionally, Sailrite, a sewing company, acquired the Good Old Boat website, keeping its resources available to the public for free. Sailrite also plans to add more content to the website in the future, ensuring that GOB's legacy lives on.

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